High Achievers Programme
A rewarding High Achievers Programme
Recognising the unique potential of our highest-achieving students, Aquinas College provides tailored pathways to success in higher education and beyond. For those setting their sights on Oxford, Cambridge, or the demanding fields of Medicine, Dentistry, and Veterinary Science, our dedicated Aquinas Oxbridge and Aquinas Medics Programmes offer focused support. Built upon our established High Prior Attainment (HPA) framework, these programmes equip students with the specialist skills, knowledge, and confidence required to excel in their applications to the most selective universities.
At Aquinas College, we are committed to supporting our most ambitious and academically gifted students in making successful applications to the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge. Our bespoke Oxbridge Programme provides comprehensive guidance and enrichment opportunities designed to equip students with the skills, knowledge, and confidence needed to navigate the highly competitive admissions process. This programme is integrated into our High Prior Attainment (HPA) tutor group provision, ensuring that students with exceptional GCSE qualifications receive tailored support from the outset.
Key Features of our Oxbridge Support:
- Expert Guidance from Oxbridge: Students will benefit from direct engagement with admissions and outreach officers from Oxford and Cambridge colleges through in-person and virtual talks and lectures. These sessions offer invaluable insights into the universities, the application process, and what admissions tutors are looking for.
- Alumni Mentorship: To provide firsthand perspectives and advice, students will have the opportunity to connect with Aquinas College alumni currently studying at Oxbridge, both through on-site meetings and virtual interactions.
- Super curricular Enrichment: Our college departments and careers team offer a wide array of subject-specific enrichment activities designed to broaden students’ academic horizons beyond the curriculum. Full engagement with these “super curricular” opportunities is strongly encouraged to demonstrate intellectual curiosity and passion for their chosen subjects.
- Development of Research and Presentation Skills: The programme actively fosters crucial academic skills through encouragement to undertake the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) or an equivalent research-based project. This allows students to develop independent inquiry, critical analysis, and effective communication of their findings.
- Engagement with Widening Participation Schemes: We actively promote and facilitate student involvement in outreach and widening participation initiatives run by North-West linked Oxbridge colleges, currently Corpus Christi College (Oxford) and Murray Edwards College (Cambridge).
- Formal Applicant Triage: Following their Lower Sixth (L6th) mock examinations, potential applicants will undergo a formal review by Heads of Subject and senior staff. This process ensures that students possess the academic potential to meet the rigorous entry requirements and have a clear understanding of the demanding application timeline.
- Organised Open Day Visits: To provide firsthand experience of the university environment, we organise trips to the Oxford and Cambridge Open Day events during the summer term of L6th, prioritising students who may face barriers to independent travel.
- Comprehensive UCAS Application Support: Starting after Easter of L6th, students receive thorough support throughout the UCAS application process. This ensures they are well-prepared for the October application deadline, including guidance on personal statements and academic references.
- Entry Test and Examination Preparation: Students will receive dedicated support from relevant subject teams in college to prepare for any required entry tests and examinations specific to their chosen course at Oxford or Cambridge.
- Rigorous Interview Preparation: All potential applicants benefit from a comprehensive interview preparation programme. This includes in-class sessions, mock interviews conducted by college staff, and more intensive pre-interview sessions with senior college leaders and governors to hone their interview skills and build confidence.
Who is this programme for?
This programme is specifically designed for highly able Sixth Form students at Aquinas College who:
- Aspire to study at the University of Oxford or the University of Cambridge.
- Have demonstrated exceptional academic potential, typically evidenced by a strong GCSE grade average (G-score) well in excess of 7.
- Are members of our High Prior Attainment (HPA) tutor groups.
- Are motivated to engage actively with enrichment opportunities and take ownership of their application process.
- Are prepared to dedicate the necessary time and effort to meet the demanding requirements of Oxbridge admissions.
I am currently studying German, Spanish and Catalan at Cambridge. At Aquinas I received lots of support from my Politics teacher who helped me achieve an A* and actively encouraged me to apply to Cambridge. My German teacher Heather was also very supportive of my application and was very helpful, I am very grateful to all of the staff at Aquinas for their support with my application, especially the Oxbridge and UCAS teams, without whom I feel I would not have made it to Cambridge.
Alice
My time at Aquinas was amazing! The Triple A team is very supportive. In particular, I’d like to thank Angela and Patrick (my Triple A teachers) for being so supportive and helping me with perfecting my personal statement. My law teacher, Mike, was also incredibly helpful and was always willing to talk to me about areas of law that I was interested in outside of the A-Level spec.
Daheem
The Aquinas Medics programme is highly recommended for students aspiring to study Medicine, Dentistry, or Veterinary Sciences at university, including those considering Oxbridge. We have a strong history of our students gaining admission to the most prestigious medical, dental, and veterinary schools. Many of our alumni now mentor current students, guiding them through their journey.
Key Features of our Medics Support (Specifically for Medics, Dentists, and Vets):
- Research into medical, dental, and veterinary advances, accompanied by recorded discussions in podcast format for wider sharing and learning.
- Development of reflective writing and self-evaluation skills through analysis of volunteer work and personal experiences.
- Weekly Medical Ethics workshops exploring current affairs and ethical dilemmas relevant to healthcare professions.
- Guidance and talks from admissions teams at local medical, dental, and veterinary schools, providing valuable insights into their specific requirements.
- Advice and guidance on how to effectively prepare for the UCAT admissions test, a crucial component of many medical and dental school applications.
- Practice panel interviews and multiple mini interviews (MMI) to build confidence and refine interview techniques for the real application process.
- Individualised, one-on-one support throughout the UCAS application process, ensuring a strong and compelling submission.
Who is this programme for?
This enrichment programme is designed for ambitious students with an excellent GCSE profile (all grade 7s or equivalent) who are currently studying three A-Level subjects, with at least two being science subjects (typically Biology and Chemistry). It is particularly beneficial for those considering applying to highly competitive programmes at universities such as Oxford and Cambridge.
Applying to Veterinary science meant facing many challenges. Aquinas gave me the confidence to overcome these challenges and achieve my aspirations.
Cara with offers from The University of Nottingham and Harper and Keele for Veterinary Medicine.
Applying for Veterinary Medicine is very challenging but if you put enough time and effort into it, with the opportunities and support provided by this program, you can achieve your dreams.
Diana with an offer from Royal Veterinary College, London.
Latest From Aquinas
GCSE Japanese students entered The Japanese Language Championship for Young Learners UK (JaLaChamp) contest. They were asked to create an original video using Japanese. Their entry was short listed, and they were invited to Japan House in Kensington, London on May 10th.
BTEC Creative Media Production and A level Graphics had an incredibly successful and inspiring day at APS with Northern Trains. From the insightful introductions and talks from industry professionals to the engaging creative brief, our students were fully immersed in a real-world marketing environment.
For the first time we celebrated our annual sports presentation in the canteen at college. This was a great afternoon celebrating the sporting successes of our teams, individual athletes, Upper Sixth classes and pathways department. We had a brilliant turnout and a great afternoon.
It was a privilege to welcome guest speaker and first-generation Holocaust survivor Tomi Komoly from the Northern Holocaust Education Group to College this week to talk about his experiences as a young child growing up in 1940s Budapest. Tomi spoke about the rise in fascism in Hungary, which culminated in an alliance with the Nazis.
